My husband’s family is from New Orleans, so they get all the credit for introducing me to the unique and flavorful cuisine of The Big Easy. From jambalaya to crawfish étouffée to seafood gumbo…many new dishes have been added to my list of “favorites” since my first visit to New Orleans almost 15 years ago. And even though beignets are basically deep-fried white flour treats, they certainly make my list of favorites as well. :)
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Today I want to share a family recipe that came from my husband’s Aunt Vicki. It was introduced to us as a “seafood gumbo,” but what I’ve learned over the years is that this dish can easily be an “anything gumbo” instead.
What that means is don’t go out and buy a bunch of new ingredients to make gumbo…instead try to use some of what you already have on hand. If you don’t have shrimp and crab, well, then throw in some leftover Thanksgiving turkey (if you still have some in the freezer like us). And if you don't like bell peppers, then just add more celery instead. My favorite dishes are the ones that are flexible, so use this recipe as a guide and don’t be afraid to get creative. As long as you start with the suggested roux (butter and whole-wheat flour), it’s pretty hard to mess up.
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This is an amazing recipe!! I’ve made it several times for my family and they all enjoy it, including my very picky 6 and 8 year old. I ventured out and took it to a school fundraiser and it was a HUGE hit. We literally sold out of it in minutes!! Thank you for the consistency in all of your recipes. I am a big fan!
Aunt Vicki’s Gumbo
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup butter
- ⅔ cup whole-wheat flour
- 2 stalks celery (diced)
- 1 onion (small, diced)
- 1 green bell pepper (diced)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 1 10-oz can stewed tomatoes (chopped with juice)
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup flat beer (optional (can sub more stock instead))
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt
- pepper (to taste)
- 1 pinch thyme (dried)
- ½ cup parsley (fresh, flat leaf, chopped)
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¾ lb shrimp (raw, peeled)
- ½ lb lump crab meat (cooked, shredded)
- ½ pound sausage (browned and sliced or crumbled, andouille or other variety)
- brown rice (cooked)
For Serving (optional)
Instructions
- Add butter to large soup pot over medium heat. Once melted, sprinkle in flour and whisk together thoroughly. Keep whisking steadily over medium heat until mixture browns (about 10 – 15 minutes). This technique is called “making a roux.”
- Dump diced veggies, onion, and garlic into pot. Stir and cook over medium heat until soft, about 10 minutes.
- Add stewed tomatoes with juice, stir once, and cover. Stir 3 – 4 times over next 15 minutes.
- Add chicken broth, 1 cup water, and 1 cup beer. Add all spices, stir once, and simmer uncovered for another 15 minutes.
- Add cooked sausage and seafood and cook on medium heat until shrimp is done all the way through.
- Serve over brown rice and sprinkle filé powder on top (optional). Provide hot sauce if desired.
And don't forget to freeze the leftovers!
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